A 287-km circular railway is being planned to connect Bengaluru with other important towns, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday, November 27. It is expected to be the largest network of its kind in India, he said. The proposed network will connect Nidvanda-Doddaballapur (40.9 km), Doddaballapur-Devanahalli (28.5 km), Devanahalli-Malur (46.5 km), Malur-Heelalige (52 km), Hejjala-Solur (43.5 km), Solur-Nidavanda (34.2 km), and Hejjala-Heelalige (42 km).
Speaking to reporters after a railway project review meeting in Bengaluru, Vaishnaw said that this network is designed to meet the city’s needs for the next 40-50 years, and will provide “complete connectivity” across seven railway paths. The circular railway, coupled with the ongoing Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP), is positioned as the primary solution for the city's transportation requirements, he said.
The Union minister said the government has already released ₹7 crore to conduct pre-feasibility and alignment studies, following which the detailed project report (DPR) and spot survey of the project will be carried out. “While the suburban railway project is being executed by a joint venture of the Union and the State, the circular railway and the augmentation of all the parts coming in and going out of the city will be done by the Railway Ministry,” he said.